Broncos Select UCLA TE Greg Dulcich After Round 3 Trade-Back
Broncos Country was forced to endure almost two full rounds of the NFL draft before landing Oklahoma edge rusher Nik Bonitto with the No. 64 overall pick. Just 11 picks later, second-year GM George Paton traded the No. 75 overall pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for No. 80 and No. 162, giving the Denver Broncos a total of 10 picks this draft.
This time, Paton looked to supplement the offensive side of the ball for quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Nathaniel Hackett.
With the No. 80 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the Broncos selected UCLA tight end Greg Dulcich.
At 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, the California native was a walk-on for the Bruins and a three-star recruit in high school. Dulcich then redshirted his freshman season before he was awarded a scholarship from UCLA in 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic shortened his 2020 season, but the playmaking tight end still logged 26 receptions for 517 yards and five touchdowns in just seven games. As a junior in 2021, Dulcich was on the preseason Mackey Award list and earned first-team All-Pac 12 recognition with 42 catches, 725 yards, and five scores.
The 22-year-old averaged an impressive 17.3 yards per reception last season in the 11 games he played for the Bruins. Dulcich has prototypical size that’ll serve him well as a stretch-the-field vertical passing option for the new-look Broncos offense.
While he’s not a speed demon on a stopwatch, the former UCLA star has a sneaky quickness to his game and can extend routes with his long stride downfield. Dulcich’s film also reveals a player that refuses to go down on first contact and will fight to move the chains. He’s fearless in the middle of the field, and his willingness to continue battling against talented defensive backs is relentless.
Denver's current tight ends Albert Okwuegbunam, Eric Tomlinson, and Andrew Beck will welcome the rookie into their position room under offensive coordinator Justin Outten. Historically, Wilson may not have always utilized the tight end position, but as he knows, the league is about adaptability and fit.
Look out for a new pass-catching weapon for the Broncos' new aerial arsenal.
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